CARTHAGE – New England Celtic Arts will host a fundraising concert and auction at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, at Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center. At 6:15 p.m., there will be a pre-show jam open to audience members.

Musicians from all over Maine will gather to perform for the benefit of Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center building project. Andy Buckland of Boreal Tordu will emcee and organize the musical segments.

Phill McIntyre, director of New England Celtic Arts, will be the guest auctioneer for the evening.

Ellen Gawler along with members of the Pine Tree Fiddlers and Steve Muise with members of the Franklin County Fiddlers will be among the many artists performing for the evening.

Going on the auction block will be a full scholarship to the Catskills Irish Arts Week (www.east-durham.org/irishartsweek); lodging for two night in Milwaukee plus tickets to Irish Fest 2009 (www.irishfest.com); and many other goods and services.

The evening will alternate between performance and auction, with some surprises mixed in.

Skye Theatre Performing Arts Center has been operating at 2 Highland Drive for the past three years. Recent changes in state fire codes make it necessary to expand and to bring the facility up to code. A 42- by 42-foot addition is planned along with new restrooms and lobby areas.

The new theater will feature hardwood flooring throughout with a designated dance area adjacent to the seating area. Also featured will be a multilevel stage with a raised step dance feature with a sound horn built into the stage. A pipers perch is planned for added effect along with rock and stone work provided by the School of Masonry in Phillips.

Skye Theatre’s thrust is Celtic and it hosts major Celtic bands from all over the world. Bands this season have included Back of the Moon, Tannahill Weavers, Beoga, Alistair Frasier, Cara, Old Blind Dogs, Bodega and Mary Jane Lamond.

Skye has also entered into an arrangement with Lakeside Theatre in Rangeley to provide live performance concerts there. More than 60 concerts are planned for the current season and the number is expected to approach 100 next season.

Skye is working with several festivals in New England and the Midwest sharing artists who are in the United States to perform. Plans are also under way with the East Coast Music Association in Atlantic Canada to spearhead a series of concerts featuring Canadian performers.

Anyone wishing to donate items to the auction or musicians who want to perform may contact McIntyre at 1-800-894-4300 A list of items to be auctioned may be obtained at that number.

Tickets are $10 at the door. Call New England Celtic Arts at 562-4445 for reservations. For more information, log on to www.necelticarts.com

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